Saturday, 5 May 2012

If you are a self-described tile-ophile like me, then a big city is your mecca (even though Mecca proper probably also has some nice tiles). From the tiles in subways to hotels and people's homes there is certainly not a lack of beautiful tiles in this city. These tiles can inspire you to re-decorate your home or can just be appreciated for the pieces of art they are. One of my favorite places to go appreciate tiles is the bathrooms of hotel lobbies. A big city is know for its many fancy hotels. Many employ stunning displays of bathroom mosaic tile. Other have beautifully displayed glass bathroom tiles. Glass bathroom tiles create a more modern look so you will usually find them in newer hotels. Both styles are very unique and applicable to the bathroom in your home.

You can also find beautiful glass bathroom tiles in restaurants. A big city has all sorts of restaurants, with different nationalities and cuisines fusing. It is a true cultural melting pot. The same is true about the décor of the restaurants, which extends into the bathroom. It is fascinating to see how these establishments employ glass bathroom tiles into their design. Another great place to go tile spotting is the a big city's public transit system. There is a good mix of old historical tiles and new commissioned by the city. Although there are not many glass subway tiles left in the transit system there are many beautiful ceramic tiles. If you are really interested in seeing glass subway tiles, however, you can always go to the a transit museum. They have a great collection of subway tiles that is sure to inspire.

Wall tiles are gaining priority because of innumerable important features associated with these tiles. We all are aware of the fact that home decoration is an important task and thus it needs to be carried out in a professional and appropriate manner so as to impart a distinct look to your homes. If it is not carried out in a proper way, it can result in disappointment. So, homeowners need to keep a number of important points in mind before going for any decorative product. There are countless products available in the market these days which are used for wall decoration purpose. Out of all, tiles are considered as the best.
There are large numbers of wall tiles available for home decoration purpose. Some of the prominent ones include glass mosaic tiles, marble tiles, glass tiles, polished tiles and many others. Out of all these tiles, marble tiles are the best because of their innumerable attractive and user-friendly features. Some of the common features linked with these entire wall tiles are given below

Exquisiteness and durability is another important feature associated with almost all these wall tiles. The tiles are attractive enough to grab attention of users towards themselves. They can make their home look attractive by using this product. Moreover, durable nature makes your homes shine for a longer time period.

The process of installation of the glass tile backsplash starts with selecting the type of backsplash tile required. It is of essence that you seek assistance from tile experts who will not only measure the required space but will also advice on the various range ofglass tile backsplash available and the ones most suitable for you.

After the measuring has been done the next step is to research on the color and design of the glass tile backsplash that suits your taste. The research should not only include magazine and the internet but should also include real life examples that should help you have a preview of the resultant feature. Make visits to the tiles stores to get to the best tiles available so you don't have to remodel your entire kitchen backsplash to put another.

The next step is to demolish the old backsplash. This should be done with care to avoid causing any bodily injury, ensure you wear protective clothing when doing this. Make necessary repairs on the wall so that it is smooth and even. The last step is to mount theglass tile backsplash . The installation can be completed within three days maximum so you don't have to worry about taking a week off to fix the backsplash. Theglass tiles for kitchen are most recommended to other types of tiles since not only are they durable but they are also easy to clean, resistant to water splashes,and resistant to physical abrasions. So get to your nearest tile dealer and ask for the glass ties that meet your beauty needs and blend in with your taste of color. Purchase then go on with the quick installation process and make your kitchen sparkling and habitable and are proven to last long

In your mind, picture the perfect kitchen you would like to create; what does it have? Do you see granite or stone countertops as the central theme? What kind of kitchen backsplash tile adorns the wall behind the sink and the stovetop? In fact, are you considering a gas or an electric stove and oven? There are a lot of decorative and functioning factors to consider when planning on redesigning a kitchen. Some ideas you have in mind are bound to be on the more expensive side, so what areas are you willing to compromise in and which are you not? Glass tiles are a very eye-catching and beautiful addition to any kitchen, as there are generally at eye level when someone walks in; kitchen backsplash tends to be the first thing that someone will notice, especially if you are basing your remodeling around a decorative color theme.

There are many options available when it comes to kitchen backsplash tile; for instance, there are some glass tiles that carry a flatter shape, and are more opaque than other tiles. They may not let natural light shine through, but tend to have a surface with an iridescent shine which can be a whole different look. There are also patterns available that are more of a three dimensional shape, meaning they will not be just flat on a wall, they will pop out more in certain areas and give a different and unique look to your kitchen. Whatever direction you decide to go with the designing and remodeling of your kitchen, glass tile is a trendy and cost-effective way to maximize your homes resale value and enjoy a quality product that will have your houseguests commenting on your kitchen with nothing but positive reactions.

Home owners who want to make their kitchen, pools or bathrooms look good often consider using glass tile. However, these tiles can be quite pricey and can end up costing a person more when it comes to construction and renovation projects. If you are really set on using glass on your renovation and construction projects, there is a way to cut down on costs and that is through the use of discount glass tile. There are a number of places where you can look for them that come with huge discounts on them and these are often due to a number of reasons.
One reason for the huge discounts you can get on stock is because these tiles that you get from certain dealers have been discontinued. This does not mean however that they are of lower value or quality than other tiles that you can find at higher prices. This just means that these tiles will no longer be available to you or anybody else once the present stock is sold out. When you do buy discontinued glass tile for you construction and renovation projects, make sure you buy more that what you need. This allows for the possibility of breakages and for you to have replacement tiles available for future use should you need to repair some of them when needed.

Glass tiles have been popular for many years and were very popular in the time of the Romans; they were used to adorn important homes, religious and grand buildings. There were vibrant colours of mixed glass tiles used especially on window areas where the light coming in from the window would vibrantly expose the beautiful colours of the glass. They are still evident today in many old and grand buildings and of course they are used widely to decorate homes in kitchens and bathrooms.
Glass tiles are very versatile, strong and durable and once installed will last the test of time. They can be a little tricky to install but once they are they will add elegance and style as well as offering excellent functionality that are easy to clean and maintain.
There are different types of glass tiles such as iridescent glass tiles and mosaic glass tiles and the choice will largely depend on your personal choice. All types of glass tiles come in vibrant colours and different sizes ranging from small cube like glass tiles to larger glass tiles. The smaller glass mosaic tiles are very common and popular especially in bathroom areas where they can be installed in the shower area's and backsplash areas. The colour combinations are endless with glass tiles being used with other tile materials such as natural stone tiles that make great border tiles. The gloss mixed blue and white glass and natural border tiles make great additions to borders in bathroom and kitchen areas

As well as glass tiles there are many glass mosaic tile designs that make great additions to homes, the vitreous glass tile mosaics are fabulously versatile tiles that can be used both indoors and outdoors. The vitreous glass tile mosaics are frost resistant, chemical and sun resistant which makes them sought after tiles for many applications. There are some fantastic colour combinations that are great for both kitchen and bathroom areas and some colours have such vibrancy.

Friday, 4 May 2012

The use of subway tiles for your kitchen design has become very popular today. The original type of material was the ceramic subway tile. Subway tile originates as early as the 1900's when a rectangle shaped tile was used in the subway systems of New York.
This simple design aspect gained popularity over the years and is a widely used design idea in many tile projects. Offered in an array of colors and finishes, ceramic tile subway could be used as either a contemporary feel or even a country feel depending on the decor of the rest of the house.
Since the late 1990's glass tile has been a popular choice for consumers and builders alike. The choice of glass subway tile has risen because of the brilliance in color that it offers. The coloring is more vibrant than that of ceramic. When light, whether it be sunlight or interior lighting, the reflection of color and clarity is what the consumer likes.

The installation of glass tiles has some do it yourselfer's concerned. Cutting glass is not as simple as cutting ceramic, however with a wet saw it cuts that concern in half. Using a wet saw will give you the clean cut you need for installation. The best thing to do is when installing the tile in a subway pattern, make sure after you cut the tile to ease the cut edge with a very fine grit sand paper or steel wool. After you cut and ease the cut edge, on the exposed ends of your design turn the cut edge to the inside so you have a factory edge on all exposed ends.

Having great kitchen designs need not be complicated. Just incorporate beautiful, shiny and vibrantly colored glass tile backsplashes into your kitchen and your kitchen will dramatically be transformed into a modern state-of-the-art design. Visitors to your homes will truly exclaim that you have an eye for art and you will bask at their attention.
Glass tiles have exceptional ways to convert dull kitchens into amazingly beautiful ones. These sleek tiles have contemporary rich colors, glossy and clean finish, and are easy to maintain. These tiles are also stain resistant so that spills will not be marking the surface of your glass counter. Rough, dull-looking, high maintenance tiles are not ideally great for kitchens because every now and then, you will probably spill something and the cleaning is difficult making it accumulate a lot of dirt and germs. However, if you have the glass tile backsplashes, then you will just have to wipe any spills off quickly and it is clean, hygienic and sanitary.

Many kitchen designs have tiles used in the kitchen on the walls and countertops because of the glossy and elegant appeal of the tiles. These are very appealing to the observer, are really easy to maintain and makes your kitchen look very hygienic. However, it does have its drawbacks. For one, it can be highly fragile. You should not drop anything hard or pound on your glass countertops too hard so as not to break the tiles. Breaking the tiles will mean that you can injure yourself in the process. Second, it can also be scratched and leave unwanted scars on your glass surface.

Without paint, Michelangelo could never have created the masterpiece that is the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. The great flexibility that paint allows an artist explains why he chose this medium to compose his work. If glass tiles were available when he was alive, perhaps the chapel's vaulted ceilings would have been covered in vibrant glass instead of paint. Just like great artists, choosing the right materials for your own construction project allows for endless possibilities of imaginative designs.
While all glass tiles offer designers a broad pallet of colors and options with which to work, glass subway tiles have become the preferred way to incorporate glass into tiling projects. One wonderful aspect of subways is how flexible your design layout can be. Unlike typical, square-shaped tiles, subway tiles are rectangular, and thus offer a greater range of interesting patterns that can be created. Most people opt to arrange their subway tiles in a traditional, brick-style layout, but setting the tiles so all grout joints line up is also popular. Also, the subways can be turned on their sides, so the same brick or inline pattern can be installed with the tiles' long sides in a vertical position. No matter the design you choose for your tile installation, glass subway tiles offer the flexibility you need to transform your space into something truly spectacular.

When deciding how to lay out your glass subway tiles, you cannot forget to consider the different possibilities presented by the broad range of vivid colors available. For instance, if you decide to use only one color, then you may find a brick layout allows for the tiled surface to remain visually interesting in spite of the monochromatic color scheme. Another option could be to mix two or more different colors together. The colors don't even need to be in equal proportions; adding a rogue color that can be incorporated randomly throughout the tiled surface can provide a "pop" that sets your project apart. Remember, there are no binding rules when it comes to interior design. Rather, your tiling project should be an expression of your taste, aesthetics, and artistic acumen. Let your imagination run wild before committing to your ultimate design. Glass subway tiles' layout options along with the wide selection of colors and finishes available frees tile installers and designers to use their creativity to generate visual masterpieces.

Beautifying the home needs a neat planning with collection of information. Tile has a very obvious role in enhancing the interior and exterior beauty. Although you might find several options for flooring, wall and exterior tiles but choosing one among them is pretty difficult. It is better if you go for mixed tile design. Glass tile is very good option if you like mix and match theory of designing. These tiles have been exclusively used in European culture for many centuries. Still these tiles are in latest fashion and are used in modern architectures.

They are available in several colors, shapes, sizes and textures. There are many online retailers who offer wide range of glass tile collection to choose from. Not only that they have enticing design but look exceptionally good when placed on walls. Art glass tiling is the latest fashion that is now being preferred by many home owners. Presently, there are plenty of manufacturers who woo their customers with their exclusive designs catalogues. For art glass tiling orders are taken from clients and are manufactured by glass artists. Glass artists who manufacture glass tiles are trained after years of experience in glass designing. However, orders taken for client's residential or commercial projects are small in lot.

Tuesday, 10 April 2012

It is impossible to estimate exactly how many stained glass artists have existed throughout history. One thing can be stated with certainty, however: there is no name that is more intricately connected to the art of stained glass than Louis Comfort Tiffany. Born in 1848, Tiffany was the creator of gorgeous art glass windows and lamps as well as the glass used to fabricate these works. Below is a brief overview of the importance of both Tiffany glass and its creator to art glass windows and the movement known as Art Nouveau.
One reason why Tiffany windows are notable is that they represent an alternative to painted art glass windows. With his innovations in glass production techniques, Tiffany was able to achieve most of the effects seen in painted works without applying enamels or stains. In other words, the textures, shading, and color combination's were integral parts of the art glass used in the creation of Tiffany windows. Many Tiffany windows resemble paintings created with oils or watercolors.

The diversity of textures and colors found in Tiffany windows is a remarkable aspect of these art glass windows, and this characteristic is a result of the many different types of glass developed by Louis Comfort. Relying on his training as a painter and his knowledge of the stained glass manufacturing process, he was able to create and patent his signature Favrile glass, which is both iridescent and slightly opaque. Other creations used in the production of Tiffany windows are: streamer glass, which has a surface onto which strings of glass are attached; fracture glass, which is highly textured and characterized by surface wafers; and ripple glass, which has a surface embellished with textured waves.

The art of making stained glass has an interesting history. Its inception can be traced back to the ancient Romans and Egyptians. In the beginning, its use was limited only to jewelry. Later, with development in the technology of making glass, it has now found its much popular use as church windows.
Since less people were literate in those times, biblical events found transcendental representation in the form of stained glass windows. Not much later, rich and the elite started getting it incorporated in their windows as a sign of their influence. Though, the earliest traces of these can be dated to the ninth century but written evidence about this art is found not as late as the twelfth century. Theophilus, a monk, in his work "On Diverse Arts" describes in detail the art of making this form of glass. Keeping in account the chapters he has dedicated to describe the overall process of making and using it, the popularity of this art can be ascertained.

During the last 1000 years of its development as an independent genre of art, making and the use of this form of glass art has witnessed a sea of changes. Earlier, mix of some colours and chemicals were used to stain the glass. However, in the present scenario, use of bronze and wood is also mixed with the art of making such crafted windows. Then, it was not only the technology that changed, even the subject matter of this art witnessed a major change. After the Protestant revolution in England and other parts of Europe, the subject matter started shifting away from religious inspirations and biblical contexts.

Fused glass is the art of melting glass together in a planned (or random, if you wish) way to create something new out of the raw materials that you started with. The idea is pretty basic - you melt glass together. The options, though, that one has are limitless. You can make jewelry, beads, plates, wall art, bowls, and a million other things.
In order to get started you need glass, a kiln, and molds. Once the kiln is heated to the proper temperature, arrange the glass on top of the mold in the manner you wish and let it melt. If the glass heats or cools too fast, it will break. Monitoring the kiln during this process is extremely important. As soon as the glass cools, you now have your newest creation!

Making jewelry such as pendants and beads is one of the most popular glass fusing techniques. In order to create unique pendants, you must have unique molds. Since molds are usually made from ceramic or metal, they can be difficult to create on your own, but there are many places around the web that carry many different options. When the glass is in its molten state, you can reach in the kiln (carefully!) and swirl the molten glass to create new designs.

Stained glass windows history began around 300 AD, being introduced into newly built churches by architects of that era. The beautifully designed glass told stories from the bible and soon began to be known as the poor man's bible. During the 16th Century there was much destruction to churches due to religious upset which, led to a need for restoration of stained glass windows.
During the 18th century the use of colored windows was no longer fashionable so there was no longer a great demand for glass art. Specialists within this field started to focus on restoring glass in churches and grand homes.

Due to World War II many designs had been lost or burnt during the bombing. Most files had been recycled into fire and other things. Artists during the great restoration period had to be taught the old technique of using glass colored within a pot, painted fired and then connected with lead. Using hydrofluoric acid to treat corroded glass and then scraped the glass with a metal tool. If the artist felt that the glass could not be restored new panels would be fitted.
In the 1800's stained glass came back into fashion with the influence of Tiffany glass, bold colors used on flat areas and heavily lined. It wasn't until the 1900's that colored glass windows were being used again by architects worldwide.

Stained glass windows have no doubt stood the test of time and for obvious reasons. They have an unparalleled way of illuminating light and creating an eye catching beauty in their surroundings. Although they are widely known and adored in places of worship, they have also become a unique treasure to many homeowners. Let's explore a few of the ways they can be used to enhance the beauty of your home.
Stained glass transom windows can be added to a front entrance and have a distinct way of welcoming your guests. These windows are timeless and will bring warmth and charm to your house throughout the year. They can be placed above or on either side of your door and come in many different complementary styles and sizes. Every home has its own personality and including a colorful transom to your front entryway will surely make it one of a kind.

Stained glass is also a creative way of bringing art into your bathroom spaces. Placing a window in your shower or over your bathtub creates a relaxing ambiance as well as maintains privacy. Privacy is one thing people do not usually think about when they are considering stained glass, but it is a valuable aspect, especially in a bathroom setting. Wouldn't it be great to let the sunlight shine in without having to be covered by drapes or mini blinds?
The kitchen is always a room that eagerly welcomes sunlight and color. Most homeowners love bright, colorful kitchens and including a stained glass window is clearly a way to enhance that. These windows can be added as cabinet doors to replace plain glass or wood faced cabinet fronts. They can be used as a skylight or they can easily hang in front of a window.

One of the most beautiful additions you could make to your period home is with antique stainedglass. Although beautiful stained glass pieces are commonly found in churches and other religious buildings, antique stain glass and leaded glass is also commonly found in vintage homes. Antique stainedglass may be used in windows or skylights, and panels of it can be hung as a decorative element from windows or used in and around doors.
Antique stainedglass panels are made of small-cut pieces of colored glass that are held together by lead strips and supported in a frame. The glass is carefully arranged to form unique and intricate patterns. Leaded glass uses lead instead of the traditional calcium in its composition, and the result is a very brilliant glass that reflects light very well. Leaded glass is what certain types of crystal is made from.

Antique stainglass windows come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Square and rectangular shapes are common, but stained glass pieces are also available in round and oval shapes as well. Antique stained glass panels may be used to adorn the upper portion of ribbon windows, which are often featured in Prairie, Craftsman and Modernistic-style homes. Antique leaded stained glass was also popular in use with Victorian-era architecture, including the Queen Anne style. In this type of home the glass might be featured in smaller panes surrounding a large pane of glass, or a patterned piece could be placed over a blank lower pane of glass.